Published on the occasion of the solo exhibition of McCracken's work at David Zwirner in New York in 2013, this publication charts the evolution of the artist's diverse oeuvre. The book encompasses both well-known and lesser-seen examples of his work from the early 1960s up until his death in 2011 including sculptures, paintings, and sketches. Featuring an interview with the artist by Anne Reeve and new scholarship by art historian Robin Clark, it also includes reproductions of archival and documentary material discovered during the curatorial process, from sketches by the artist to gallery invitation cards, early catalogue covers, and historic photographs, as well as installation views of the show.

John McCracken occupies a singular position in the recent history of American art with work that melds the restrained formal qualities of Minimalist sculpture with a distinctly West Coast sensibility expressed through color, form, and finish. He developed his early sculptural work while studying painting at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland in the late 1950s and early 1960s. While experimenting with increasingly three-dimensional canvases, the artist began to produce objects made with industrial materials including plywood, sprayed lacquer, and pigmented resin to create the smooth, highly reflective surfaces he has become known for.